Yoon Considers Debate Between Heirs... Topic Limited to Daejang-dong

'Avoiding Debate' Seems to Reflect Criticism
Lee Likely to Accept Immediately

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is greeting supporters upon arriving at the Daegu City Party Office on the 30th. 2021.12.30 [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is considering proposing a one-on-one debate to Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea. However, it is known that he will set the condition to limit the debate topic to the 'Daejang-dong scandal.' This appears to be a measure to block negative public opinion that Yoon is avoiding debates with his opponent.

A key official of the People Power Party said in a phone call on the 31st, "Yoon is internally considering directly asking Lee to debate about the Daejang-dong scandal within the election campaign committee." If the debate proposal is made, Lee is expected to accept it immediately, making it highly likely that the first one-on-one debate between the top two candidates in the polls will take place.

Yoon has maintained his position not to participate in TV debates other than the three mandatory debates stipulated by the Public Official Election Act. His reason was, "If I debate, it will only end up as a fight." In response, Lee pointed out, "Refusing debates by dismissing them as mere quarrels can easily be understood as a declaration of not wanting to practice democracy." Most other presidential candidates, excluding Yoon, have also voiced similar criticisms.

This proposal can serve both to quell the issue that Yoon is avoiding debates and to form public opinion that Lee does not want the introduction of a special prosecutor for the Daejang-dong case. Additionally, it seems that the Daejang-dong scandal was considered an issue where Yoon could gain an advantageous position in the debate compared to other areas. Yoon is a former special prosecutor who served as Prosecutor General, and currently, the prosecution has formed a dedicated team to investigate the Daejang-dong case.